Broom-corn harvester.



Patented Aug. 6, I901.

M. INGELS. BROOM CORN HARVESTEB.

(Apglication filed Dec. 31, 1900.) Wu Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

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N0. 679,753. Patented Aug. 6, I90l. M. INGELS.

BROOM CORN HARVESTER.

(Application filed Dec. 31, 1900.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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:4. mans. BROOM 'CORN HABVESTEB.

Patented Aug. 6, IBM.

(Application filed. Dec. 31, 1900.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

lnvenior: Mar/ion lngels By v mir zesses d/firz z? NiTnn STATES PATENT Germs.

MARIONINGELS, OF LEANNA, KANSAS.

BROOM-CORN HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,753, dated August 6, 1901.

Application filed December 31, 1900. Serial No. (N model-3 r the machine.

A further object is to providea machine of this character capable of adjustment to accommodate tall corn, short corn, or corn of intermediate height.

Astillfurther object is to produce a broomcorn harvester of simple, strong, durable, and light construction.

To these ends the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and organization, as hereinafter described and claimed, and in order thatit may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 represents aside elevation of the complete machine. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line H II of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the bin detached from the machine. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section of said bin. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical seotionof the conical drum forming a part of the machine. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line VI VI of Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a view looking into one of the fork-hooks, as provided with a lock. for holding the cornstalks therein. Fig. 8 is an enlarged side view of a part of the drum to illustrate the cutting mechanism thereof. Fig. 9 is a section taken on the line IX IX of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a plan view of one of the knives of the cutting mechanism. Fig. 11 is a plan view of the push-bar, whereby the pressure of the corn against the knife is utilized to effectthe severance of the head of the former. Fig. 12 is a section showing a modified form of cutting mechanism. Fig. 13 is a plan view of the means forholding the stalks reliably in the fork-hooks until the heads are severed.

In the said drawings, 1 designates a suitable framework, preferably of skeleton construction, so as to be as light as possible consistent with the strength required.

2 designates the shaft or rotating axle journaled about centrally of the frame, and 3 the drive and supporting wheels on the ends of said axle.

4 designates the seat at the extreme rear end of the machine preferably, 5 the shafts, and 6 the whiffletree to which the draft-animal is hitched in the usual manner. At opposite sides of the shafts and near their rear ends, so as to be a few inches outward of adjacent rows of corn, are vertical shafts 7, journaled in the framework, and secured adjustably upon said shafts at the height to accommodate the corn to be out are the gathering- Wheels 8, and upon the lower ends of said shafts sprocket-wheels 9, the latter being connected by longitudinally extended chains 10, with similar sprocket-wheels 11, secured upon vertical shafts 12, rearward of the axle, chain guards or shields 13 being arranged inward of the chains toprevent any possibility of the corn becoming entangled therewith.

Mounted upon shafts 12, in a plane slightly lower than gathering-wheels 8, are a pair of reels 11, vertically adjustable and provided with set-screws 1 1 engaging said shafts to secure the reels rigidly at the desired elevation, said reels comprising a plurality of horizontally-bifurcated arms. Mounted on said shafts below the reels are small gear-wheels 15, meshing with large gear-wheels 16 upon short horizontal shafts 17, journaled in the framework and provided at their outer ends with small sprocket-wheels 18, connected by sprocket-chains 19 with large sprocket-wheels 20, jonrnaled upon the axle, the usual comjmon and well-known clutch mechanism controlled by levers 21 being interposed between the axle' and said sprocket-wheels for throwing the latter in or out of gear at will. About midway of shafts 7 and 12, and preferably slightly inward thereof, are a pair of vertical shafts 22, also journaled in the framework, and mounted upon the lower end of said shafts are sprocket-wheels 23, driven by the inner strands, of chains 10. (See Fig. 2.) 24 designates collars secured upon said shafts and supporting at the desired elevation the winding-drums, the same being of inverted frustum shape and each consisting,

IOO

preferably, of one or more sections 25, journaled upon the shaft, and another section 26, secured rigidly, but capable of adjustment on the shaft by means of the set-screw 27 or its equivalent. In dwarf corn the use of the section or sections 25, journaled on the shafts, may be entirely dispensed with and the rigidly-carried section alone used; but usually one or more of these rotatable sections will be necessary on each shaft, the height of the corn determining the number necessary. When the intermediate section is dispensed with, the upper section is lowered until nearly in contact with the remaining orbottom section 25. The rigid sections carry the cutting mechanism, the same consisting of a circular horizontal series of equidistant rollers 28, extending at an angle of about forty-five degrees to the horizontal and journaled in the front ends of a corresponding series of pushbars 29, projecting outward through the sections and provided with shoulders 30 to limit their outward movement. (See Fig. 9.) In the modified form (see Fig. 12) the push-bars are secured to the free ends of springs 31, secured to the inner side of the section. In the preferred form the rear ends of the push-bars are pivoted to rock bars 32, mounted in brackets 33, secured to the section, and pivoted-to. the opposite end of said rock-bars are cutting blades or knives 34, retractile springs connecting the rock-bars with posts 36 or other fixed points on the section serving to norm ally hold the knives or blades withdrawn to the position shown in Fig. 9 and the rollercarrying push-bars in an advanced position, as shown in said figure.

In Fig. 12 in lieu of the spring-retracted knife I provide fixed knives 33*, secured to the outer side of the section and uncovered or exposed for action, when the corn, in a manner hereinafter explained, forces the withdrawal of the spring-retracted roller-carrying push-bars. In Fig. 9 the repression of the spring-actuated. push-bar by the corn causes the advance of the knife'or blade, and thereby efiects the detachment of the head more quickly and reliably. In both cases it will be noticed that the knife applies only sufficient power to sever the stalk with which it is immediately engaged and that the draft-animals are required to expend an amount of power proportionate to the resistance of the stalk. V

37 designates a collar secured upon the shaft, and 38 spring-arms secured to said 001- lar at their inner ends and corresponding in number by preference to the knives and having at their outer ends substantiallyhors'eshoe-shaped hooks 39, provided with tines 40, so as to constitute a fork-hook, the inner 7 arms of said hooks being of greater length mthan their outer arms in order to intercept the corn as it is pushed rearward and out ward by the gathering-Wheels, as hereinafter explained more fully, and hold it in such position that the corn shall enter the hooksand become impaled upon the tines thereof. The proportion and relative positions of the parts are such that said hooks successively pass through the bifurcations of the reel-arms, the latter rotating at a greater speed than the former, so that a reel-arm shall pass a hook at the proper time. 7

As a means of absolutely preventing the stalks of corn escaping from the fork-hooks and for insuring their expulsion therefrom at the proper time I provide the following mechanism: 41 designates a bracket secured to each spring-arm 38, or rather to the shank of the fork-hook attached thereto. 42 is a vertical rod journaled in said bracket and said fork-shank and provided with oppositely-projecting arms 43 at its upper end and with a segmental arm 44 just above the fork-shank and reduced at its outer end to form the projecting tongue 45. 46 designates a lever pivoted between the shank and fork and provided with a large opening 47, having a reduced prolongation 48, this opening and prolongation fitting around rod 42 and the segmental arm 44 and its tongue, the arrangement being such that the tongue always occupies the prolongation of the opening, withthe latter of such width that one corner of the arm may also project therein. The levers are provided, furthermore, with slots 49, engaging pins 50 of the fork-shanks to limittheir movement in each direction and at their front ends with arms 51 to bridge the space between the inner and outer arms of the fork, and thereby reliably retain the stalks therein, and at their rear outer corners with pusharms 52, projecting across the faces of the hooks and adapted when moved forward upon vthe latter to force the heads of the stalks of corn partially off the tines.

In Fig. 13 I show a modified construction for efiecting the retention of the stalks in the hooks until the heads are severed and both body and head expelled by the reel. A curved fender 53, arranged concentrically of the path traversed by the hooks, is employed, the same occupying a plane slightly above the hooks and having a vertically-depending flange 54 and a plurality of inwardly-proj ectin g springarms 55 in the path of the stalks. With this construction it will be obviouswhen the operation is as indicated by the arrow, Fig. 13, the corn is successively forced against the spring-arms 55, which therefore, in conjunction with the flange 54, retains the stalks until To guide the corn positively and reliably to a position where it can be successively en- .gaged by the teeth of the gathering-wheels,

forwardly and outwardly projecting guides 56 are secured to the framework, and at the inner sides of the rows of corn are guides 57,

the latter curving downwardly and inwardly and having their front ends attached to the shafts and their rear ends curving outwardly about concentric of the gathering-wheels in order to insure the retention of the stalks against said wheels until they are engaged by one of the rotating fork-hooks which pass in rapid succession therear end of said inner guides, the parts being so proportioned that one of the hooks is always ready to take hold of the stalk of corn as it is forced by the gathering-whe el past the rear end of said inner guides.

58 designates a pair of rearwardly-converging and downwardly-extending'and tapering chutes, their upper ends being arranged to receive the heads of the corn as they are expelledin rapid succession from the hooks and discharge them into the bin 59 at opposite sides of the vertical partition 60 and upon the downwardly-diverging boards 61, the latter being arranged to discharge in turn upon the high portion of the downwardly-converging hinged doors 62, forming a temporary bottom for the bin, the latter being supported upon the frame in any suitable manner adjacent to the seat. Thedoors are pivotally connected by links 63 to the arms 64 of a pair of intermediate cog-wheels 65, journaled upon a stubshaft 66, projecting from the bins, one of the cog-wheels having a double crank-handle 67, whereby the driver may easily and quickly open the doors and discharge the contents of the bin, it being necessary, however, to first withdraw the stop-pin 68, chained, as at 69, to prevent danger of its loss out of the path of the double crank-handle. (See Fig. 3.)

The general operation of the machine is as follows: As the machine travels forward the stalks of corn of two adjacent rows are properly guided to and within reach of the gathering-wheels by the guides, which wheels, r0- tating, as indicated by arrows, Fig. 2, force them successively past the rear ends or points of the inner guides,where theyare engaged by the rotating fork-hooks. These fork-hooks grip the stalks of corn and draw them outward so as to twist them spirally around the inverted frustum-shaped drums, causing the stalks after completing part of a revolution to bear against certain of the spring-pressed rollers and begin as their tension increases to force said rollers inwardly, and thereby expose the corresponding knives for action in the preferred form more quickly, because the knives advance as the rollers recede. As it is impossible to bend or twist the corn, as described, without springing the heads to a lower plane, it is obvious that in such action the spring-arms 38, carrying the fork-hooks, are bent downward, their bend increasing gradually untilthe heads aresev cred, at which time they are approximately in the position in dotted lines, Fig. 1. Immediately the heads are severed the springarm's spring back to their original position and are prevented from vibrating back and.

forth by reason of the overhanging disk 40, forming an abutment for the arms in said upward movement. Without the disk or its equivalent the arms when released would be vibrating perhaps when they should be ready to receive the proper action of the disengaging-reel, which of course would not be a practical construction. As a partial revolution is completed the stalk-pressure has grown so great that the knife effects the severance of the head from the body of the stalk and the reels rotating in the direction indicated by the arrows, Fig. 2, strike the head above and below the fork and knock it into the large or flaring mouth of the chutes 58. Where the construction embodied in Fig. 13 is employed, the fender, with its spring arms and flange, holds the stalks against the tines, (not shown but where the fender, flange, and spring-arms are not employed it is desirable to employ mechanism to insure the retention of the stalks in the fork-hooks and then to release the same from the tines in order that the reels may positively and reliably effect the expulsion of the stalks, the action of such mechanism being as follows: As a stalk is engaged by one of the fork-hooks the locking mechanism thereof occupies the position shown in full lines, Fig. 6, and immediately thereafter the depending arm of the framework is struck by the outer arm 43 of corresponding shaft 42 and acts as a fulcrum to cause, as the rotation of the fork carries it onward, the partial rotation ofsaid shaftin the opposite direction, the arms 43 and 44 of course accompanying the shaft in such action, and thereby throw the pressure of one side of arm 44 on the opposing side wall of the opening prolongation 48. This action swings lever 46 to such position that its front arm 51 bridges the space between the outer and inner arms of the fork, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 6, and thereby guards against the stalk slipping out of said hook until as the latter revolves its tines eventually impale the head and absolutely prevent the escape of the corn by sliding longitudinally through the hook, as will be readily understood. As the lever movement above mentioned is completed the edge of arm 44 is withdrawn from the prolongation of opening 47, said arm continuing its movement until the tongue attains a position shown in dotted lines, the termination of the lever move ment of course being insured by the endof slot 49 abutting against pin 50, as also shown in dotted lines, Fig. 6. YVit'n the corn looked, as above described, in the hook the motion of the latter continues until after the head is severed from the body, and just before the,

former is struck by the reel the inner arm 43 of shaft 42 strikes thearm 71 of the framework and rotates shaft 42 back to its original position, so as to simultaneously open the fork-hook by withdrawing arm 5l'to its original position, as shown in full lines, and partially release the impaled head from the tines substantially as described. V g 2; A broom-corn harvester, comprising a by the forward pressure on the former of the arm 52. (See dotted lines.) In this assumption by the lever of its original position its movement is of course limited by pin 50 and the opposite end of the slot and the movement is imparted to the arm 44, pressing against the opposite side of the opening prolongation 48, the body of the arm slipping from engagement with said side wall as the lever movement is completed and continuing its own movement until it has assumed the position shown in full lines, Fig. 6. After the head is partially released from the tines the reel-arm strikes it and knocks it into the contiguous chute, all of the heads passing from said chute into the bin upon the downwardly-diverging boards 61 and dropping then upon the downwardly-converging hinged doors forming the bottom of the bin, from which, as above stated, the driver may effect the discharge by the proper manipulation of crank-handle 67. The discharge may be upon the ground or into a suitable receptacle placed beneath the bin. When driving to or from the field and when turning on its course, the driver may throw the operating mechanism out of gear with the wheels by the usual manipulation of the clutch-mechanism levers, so as to relieve the draft-animals of unnecessary labor and the machine of unnecessary wear.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a broom-corn harvester which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of invention, which is positive and reliable in action, which is under perfect control of the driver, and which is light ofdraft, the parts being so disposed with relation to each other and the weightof the driver as to practically balance on theaxle, and thus relieve the draft-animals of the duty of supporting the heavy weight in addition to the duty of pulling the machine along. It will also be obvious that while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the invention it is susceptible of various changes in the form, proportion, organization, and detail construction of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A broom-corn harvester, comprising a wheeled frame, an inverted frustum carried thereby, around which the corn is adapted to spirally wind, a corn-gripping device to grip the corn and draw the stalk tightly around said frustum, devices forefiecting the severance of the head of the corn frointhe stalk by the pressure or pull upon the latter, and means for efiecting the disengagement of the head or severedportion from said devices,

wheeled frame, an inverted frustum carried thereby, around which the corn is adapted to spirally wind, a corn-gripping device to grip the corn and draw the stalk tightly around said frustum, devices for effecting the sever ance of the head of the corn from the stalk by the pressure or pull upon the latter, and a rotating reel to disengage the severed head from the gripping device, substantially as described.

3. A broom-corn harvester, comprising a wheeled frame, an inverted frustum carried thereby, around which the corn is adapted to spirally wind, a corn-gripping device to grip the corn and draw the stalk tightly around said frustum, devices for effecting the severance of the head of the corn from the stalk by the pressure or pull upon the latter, a rotating reel to disengage the severed head from the gripping device, a receptacle, and a downwardly-inclined chute communicating with said receptacle and having its upper end or mouth arranged to receive the heads when disengaged by the reel, substantially as described.

4. A broom-corn harvester, comprising a wheeled frame, an inverted frustum carried thereby, around which the corn is adapted to spirally wind, a corn-gripping device to grip the corn and draw the stalk tightly around said frustum, devices for efiecting the severance of the head of the corn from the stalk by the pressure or pull upon the latter, a ro tating reel to disengage the severed head from the gripping device, a downwardly-inclined chute to receive the heads from the feel, a bin to receive from the chute, and provided with a hinged bottom, a handle, and connections between said handle and the hinged bottom, whereby the latter can be readily opened and closed, substantially as described.

5. A broom-corn harvester, comprising a wheeled frame, an inverted frustum carried thereby, around whichv the corn is adapted to spirally wind, a corn-gripping device to grip the corn and draw the stalk with a yielding pressure around said frustum, devices for effecting the severance of the head of the corn from the stalk by the pressure or pull upon the latter, and means for efiecting the disen gagement of the head or severed portion from said devices, substantially as described.

6. A broom-cornharvester, comprising a wheeled frame, an inverted frustum carried thereby around which the corn is adapted to spirally wind, a rotating corn-gripping device above the frustum, a spring-arm supporting'the same and adapted to operate in a vertical plane, said gripping device being adapted to grip the corn and draw the stalk tightly around said frusturn, devices for effecting-the severance of the head of the corn from the stalk by the pressure or pull upon the latter, and means for efiecting the disengagement of the head or severed portion from said'devices, substantially as described.

7. A'broom-corn harvester, comprising a heeled frame, an inverted frustum carried thereby around which the corn is adapted to spirally wind, a rotating corn-gripping device above the frustum, a spring-arm supporting the same and adapted to operate in a vertical plane, said gripping device being adapted to grip the corn and draw the stalk tightly gri in device, substantially as described. pp 2:

8. A broom-corn harvester, comprising a wheeled frame an inverted frustum carried thereby around which the corn is adapted to spirally wind, a rotating cutting device, a retating grippingdevice above the frustum and said cutting device, a spring-arm holding said gripping device yieldingly elevated, and a reel to disengage the head from the gripping device after it has been severed by the cutting device, substantially as described.

9. A broom-corn harvester, comprising a wheeled frame, a driven shaft, an inverted frustum thereon, and provided with a circular series of cutting devices, a corresponding series of corn-gri p'ping devices above the frustum and mounted on said shaft and adapted to grip and Wind the corn spirally on the frustum, and press it so heavily against the cutting devices that the latter effect the severance of the heads, and means to disengage the severed heads from said gripping devices, substantially asdescribed.

10. A broom-corn harvester, comprising a wheeled frame, a driven shaft, an inverted frustum thereon, and provided with a circular series of cutting devices and a correspondin g series of spring-advanced devices to cover the cutting devices, a corresponding series of corn-gripping devices above the'frustum and mounted on said shaft and adapted to grip and wind the corn spirally on the frustum,

and press it so heavily against the spring-advanced devices as to force the same to uncover and expose the cutting devices for action, and means to disengage the severed heads fromthe gripping devices, substantially as described.

11. A broom-corn harvester comprising a Wheeled frame, a driven shaft thereon, a frustum upon said shaft, consisting of the loose lower section or sections, and the rigid upper section, cutting devices carried by said upper section, spring-advanced devices normally covering said cutting devices from action, a series of rotating spring-elevated corn-gripping devices above the frustum and adapted to grip the corn and draw it spirally around the frustum and against said devices, so as to force the latter inward and expose the cutting devices for action, and means for disengaging the severed portion of the corn from said gripping devices, substantially as described.

12. A broom-corn harvester, comprising a wheeled frame, a rotating reel, a rotating gathering-Wheel, guides to guide the corn to the latter, a rotating shaft between the reel and gathering-wheel, an inverted frustum upon the last-named shaft, and provided with a plurality of cutting devices, a plurality of gripping devices above the frustum and rotatable with the frustum-shaft, means for disengaging the severed heads from the gripping device, means for transferring motion from the axle to the operating mechanism, and means for throwing the latter in and out of gear with the axle, substan tially as described.

13. In a broom-corn harvester, a drum, a plurality of rock -levers, a pushbar and a knife secured to the opposite ends of each rock-lever and projecting through the drum, and a spring secured to each rock-lever and normally holding the push-bar advanced beyond the cutting edge of the knife, substantially as described.

1%. In a broom-corn harvester, a driven shaft, an arm carried thereby, a fork-hook secured to the outer end of the arm and adapted to engage a cornstalk, a lever carried by said arm and provided with arms adapted to bridge thev fork-hook one in front and the other rearward of the tines thereof, a rotatable rod journaled in the fork-hook arm at a suitable point and provided with an arm engaging said lever, and means to operate said rod in one direction to cause the lever through the instru mentality of said arm to release the stalk confined in the fork-hook and leave the latter free or open to receive the next stalk in its path, substantially as described.

15. In a broom-corn harvester, a driven shaft, an arm carried thereby, a fork-hook secured to the outer end of the arm and adapted to engage a cornstalk, a lever carried by said arm and provided with arms adapted to bridge the fork-hook one in front and the other rearward of the tines thereof, a rotatable rod journaled in the fork-hook arm at a suitable point and provided with an arm engaging said lever, means to operate said rod in one direction to cause the lever through the instrumentality of said arm to release the stalk confined in the fork-hook and leave the latter free or open to receive the next stalk in its path, and means to return the lever to its original position so as to close the fork-hook and prevent the release of said next stalk until after its head has been detached, substantially as described.

16. I11 a broom-corn harvester, a driven shaft, an arm carried thereby, a fork-hook secured to the outer end of the arm and adapt+ ed to engage a cornstalk, a lever carried by said arm and provided with arms adapted to bridge the fork-hook one in front and the other rearward of the tines thereof, a rotatable rod-journaled in the fork-hook arm at a suitable point and provided with an arm engaging said lever, means to operate said rod in one direction to cause the lever through 5 the instrumentality of said arm to release the stalk confined in the fork-hook and leave the latter free or open to receive the next stalk in its path, means to return the lever to its original position so as to close the fork-hook and to prevent the release of the said next stalk until after its head has been detached, and a reel to force the stalk and its head out of the fork-hook after the latter is severed from the former, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 15 in presence of two witnesses.

MARION INGELS. Wit'nesses:

IRA CHASE,

E. E.'BLACK. 

